Rural Health Access and Education

Summary

Villagers often live 4-8 hours from the nearest government health clinic, can't afford clinical services, or the clinics are under equipped to serve them. This project consists of a mobile medical unit that visits rural indigenous communities to provide medicines and health information, and a system of female health promoters, or promotoras, who are trained in first aid, CPR, and public health information.

Challenge

Remote indigenous communities around Ollantaytambo are drastically under-served by the Peruvian medical system. Communities within this region lack access to roads and transportation, and people must travel great distances for medical care, sometimes on foot. This lack of health care results in untreated conditions, severe sickness, or even premature death. Additionally, people in these communities often lack general health knowledge and the most basic resources to minimize disease

Solution

Awamaki's mobile health unit will visit rural, isolated communities once a month. It will provide necessary medical attention, medical supplies, and encourage individuals to seek more in-depth medical attention when necessary. Our complementary health education program will train women from these communities to serve as rural health promoters, receive training in the essentials of first aid, sanitation, triage, and overall health promotion.

Long-Term Impact

The mobile health unit and promotoras program will create a connection between community members and health care. The mobile health unit will allow individuals to take ownership of their health and to seek necessary medical attention from respectful providers. The training of health promotoras within the communities, meanwhile, will create sustainable health in these regions by promoting positive health practices, and giving communities access to a health worker every day.

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